UK - World’s Happiest Countries

The rankings, produced annually by Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Center, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, are based on a three-year average of how residents in 140 countries rate their own lives alongside factors such as GDP, social support, life expectancy, perceived freedom, generosity and corruption. For the second year in a row, no major English-speaking countries made the top 10, with Australia at 15th, the United States at 23rd, Canada at 25th and the UK at 29th.

This year, the countries in the top five each have unique aspects contributing to their happiness, though freedom to make life choices scores highly among all of them.

Top 10 happiest countries for 2026

1. Finland

2. Iceland

3. Denmark

4. Costa Rica

5. Sweden

6. Norway

7. Netherlands

8. Israel

9. Luxembourg

10. Switzerland

-www.bbc.com, 19 March 2026

Commentary: What is the “World Happiness Report”? WHR says: “Since our first edition in 2012, our reports have explored various themes related to global happiness including age, benevolence, migration, sustainable development, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on global wellbeing.”

We notice that these criteria of worldly happiness are earthly-bound—that means temporary. In contrast, the Bible makes it crystal clear that happiness is not material possessions, wealth, or positive situations and circumstances.

A Google search answers: “In the Bible, happiness is generally defined as a profound, enduring state of spiritual blessedness, contentment, and flourishing that arises from a right relationship with God and obedience to His Word, rather than relying on fleeting external circumstances.”

Israel is listed at number 8 in the top ten … a state most would not at all think to be at the top of the happiness category. But here again, Israel is different; Israel is unique. It is the country that can claim the promises of Psalm 144:15: “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

It’s the only nation in the world named by God Himself, beginning with Jacob: “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel” (Genesis 32:28a). It is confirmed in Deuteronomy 7:6: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

(See Israel Always, Item #2403, $18.99.)